Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate morphological changes in the macula in a population of young, otherwise normal highly myopic Asian subjects using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Methods: :
One hundred and twenty eight highly myopic eyes (spherical equivalent ≤–8D) and fifty control eyes were evaluated. Visual acuity, refraction, Amsler grid testing, slit–lamp examination, fundus examination, applanation tonometry, A–scan ultrasound, fundus and optic disc photography were performed. Exclusion criteria were visual acuity worse than 6/9, previous intraocular surgery, intraocular pressure >21mmHg and evidence of other ocular diseases. Optical Coherence Tomography using the Stratus OCT was performed in each eye using the fast macular scan algorithm. Each eye was evaluated for morphological features of myopic traction maculopathy.
Results: :
The majority of patients were Chinese (92%) and male (83%) with an average age of 20.8 ± 3.4 years. The mean spherical equivalent refraction in the highly myopic group was –10.25 ± 1.72D (range –8 to –15.63D) and the mean axial length was 27.62 ± 1.21mm, while the corresponding values in the control eyes were –3.71 ± 2.84D and 24.58 ± 2.05mm respectively. All cases were asymptomatic for visual disturbances. Epiretinal traction and vitreomacular traction were not visualized in any of the highly myopic or control eyes. The mean foveolar and foveal thicknesses were significantly greater in highly myopic eyes than control eyes (p<0.001 and p<0.01 respectively). No cases of macular retinoschisis, macular detachment or lamellar macular holes were seen.
Conclusions: :
Asymptomatic foveolar and foveal thickening occur in high myopia but no cases of vitreomacular traction, macular retinoschisis, macular detachment or lamellar macular holes were found.
Keywords: myopia • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • macular holes